The invention relates to a printing machine. In particular, the invention is concerned with a system for exchanging an impression cylinder and/or an inking roller in the inking unit of a flexographic printing machine.
In the European patent application 95 116 394, an apparatus is described for exchanging the sleeve of an impression cylinder, which is provided at both ends with bearing journals. The bearing journals are mounted in each case in a hinged bearing in a bearing block, which can be moved approximately radially in relation to the back-pressure cylinder for moving the sleeve of the impression cylinder against or away from a back-pressure cylinder. A shaft, running axially through the impression cylinder sleeve, is clamped at one end in a lifting system in such a manner that, after the bearing is lifted up, the impression cylinder sleeve can be lifted with the help of the shaft and the lifting system vertically into a position, in which the impression cylinder sleeve can be pulled axially from the sleeve.
For such printing machines, the bearing blocks for the impression cylinder typically are guided on a guide rail, which is mounted on the upper side of a console fastened at the side part in question of the printing machine. The inking roller is mounted in a corresponding manner, so that it can be lifted out of the bearing blocks, which can also be moved radially in relation to the back-pressure cylinder for moving the impression cylinder against or away from the inking roller. The bearing blocks for the inking rollers can also be guided on the same guides as the bearing blocks for the impression cylinder.
For the arrangement described above, the construction of the lifting system for lifting the printing-cylinder sleeve and the inking roller is expensive. If several inking units are disposed in the usual manner on the same back-pressure cylinder, the vertical distance between the inking units furthermore must be relatively large, so that there is sufficient free space for lifting the impression cylinders and inking rollers. Furthermore, very difficult adjustment work is required during the installation in conjunction with fastening the consoles to the side parts of the printing machine and in conjunction with installing the guide rails on the consoles.